Urmson said that Google is not a car manufacturer and will likely be a "a provider of systems and software to established vehicle manufacturers" rather than a car maker. Its prototypes were engineered in Detroit by Roush.

Despite views of Elon Musk, chief executive of Tesla Motors, who said he thinks it could be 2023 before Google's self-driving cars pass regulatory hurdles, Urmson expects less obstacles because the company has been "briefing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration" early on. The current pod-like version Google's robotic car will also likely evolve to suit its purposes.

Google plans to spend time in Detroit making deals and likely trying to win over manufacturers to its 21st century idea.